Assyrian Author Testifies Before House Committee on Condition of Assyrians in Iraq

Posted 2006-06-30 18:08 GMT

(AINA) -- Rosie Malek-Yonan, an Assyrian and author of The Crimson Field, testified before the House Committee on International Relations today on the condition of Assyrians in Iraq.

My name is Rosie Malek-Yonan. I am not a politician. I am not a member of any political group or organization. I am an author. I am a Christian. I am an Assyrian. I am an American citizen. I am here to tell you about a 15 year old boy named Fadi Shamoon.

Fadi was happily riding the new bike his father had given him, when suddenly on that 5th day of October, 2004, he was yanked off his new bike and kidnapped by terrorist Islamist Kurds. His family went crazy wondering what had happened to little Fadi, until a neighbor found Fadi's body thrown out on the roadside like garbage. He was in pieces. His body was barbarically mutilated and burned, and he was beheaded in a most horrific manner.

As unthinkable and unimaginable as this crime was, it wasn't the first that the residents of the Assyrian district of Ba'asheeqa had seen. Just prior to this, the Assyrians had mourned another son, 14 year old Julian Afram Yacoub when he was hit in the head with a concrete block and then burned. Killing innocent Christian children has become fashionable in Iraq, forcing many Christians to flee their homes and villages, money-less and helpless.

In my recently published historical epic novel, The Crimson Field, I have relayed the factual atrocities that were unleashed on my people in the span of four years from 1914 to 1918, which wiped out two-thirds of my Assyrian population totaling some 750,000.

I have lost great grand parents, great uncles, great aunts, and many others. My people were victimized at the hands of the Islamist Kurds and Turks 91 years ago for being Christian. My people are still being victimized at the hands of the Islamist Kurds today for being Christian.

My churches are being bombed. My elders are being killed. My young brothers are being assaulted and kidnapped. My fellow students are being harassed and beaten. My children and neighbors are being beheaded. If my sister refuses to wear a Muslim hijab, she is raped or tortured by having acid thrown in her face. And yes, the majority of these incidents have gone unreported in the western media. These atrocities are occurring right under the watchful eyes of my American government since the "liberation" of Iraq.

March 16, 1918: "One hundred fifty souls perished that black day [at the hands of the Kurds]. One hundred fifty souls that were accounted for. One hundred fifty souls that were loved by fathers and mothers. By sons and daughters. By sisters and brothers. By wives and lovers. One hundred fifty souls, each one of them with individual names, who were expected at dinner tables that evening. That night and every night, one hundred fifty chairs would remain unoccupied, each leaving an empty space in the hearts of a nation on the brink of total extinction. One hundred fifty candles flickered in the distance when angels swept the earth for their souls."

That was an excerpt from my book, The Crimson Field. I could have very well been writing about the plight of today's Assyrians in Iraq. History is repeating itself and no one is taking notice; No one except my people.

We Assyrians are a nation without boundaries. For thousands of years we have survived by sheer will power. Nearly a century ago, in the shadows of WWI, my grandparents struggled to survive to save future generations of Assyrians from extinction. Now that burden is mine to carry. Now my generation faces that same struggle to save my nation from total extinction in Iraq. We care about the preservation of the bald Eagle and strive to save it from extinction. We pass laws forbidding the hunting of a bald Eagle. Yet we allow the oldest nation in the world to become extinct. This is unforgivable.

Assyrians, like myself, living in diaspora in our adopted countries, are doing what we can to bring awareness to the plight of our people. We're not soldiers. We can't take up arms and fight in the streets of Baghdad. But we write books and articles, hold lectures, and make documentary films. We hold vigils and debates. We march. We go on hunger strikes and peaceful demonstrations. We hold rallies. We speak.

When you gain knowledge of atrocities occurring, you are in essence baring witness to those facts and as such, you inherit the absolute responsibility to testify to and alleviate those human miseries.

We Assyrians are not extraordinary people. But we are caught up in the cross fires of extraordinary events. And yet we don't fight violence with violence. We don't retaliate. Because we just want to live. When our churches are bombed, we don't think of retribution. We walk away as Christians should.

Just this week, 7,000 Assyrians left Baghdad for Northern Iraq. The women and children have taken refuge in other Assyrian homes, while the men sleep in the cemeteries at night. I don't mean figuratively. I mean literally. They sleep in the cemeteries because they have no other shelter. These suffering Assyrians in Iraq depend on our courage in the western world to help them.

A few months ago, I met with Mar Gewargis Sliwa, the Assyrian Archbishop of Iraq from the Assyrian Catholic Church of the East. His account of the lives of Assyrian children in Iraq was appalling and heartbreaking. He said to me, "We can't help our children anymore. They play in fields of blood. We are a poor nation. We need help. Help us."

Just days ago I spoke with His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, the Patriarch of the Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, who told me that the priests in Iraq can no longer wear their clerical robes in public. They have to dress as civilians otherwise they are targeted and attacked by Islamists.

Today's Iraq was once part of Assyria. Assyria was the first nation to accept Christianity. The Assyrian Church was founded in 33 A.D. Today, my Assyrian nation's future is in serious trouble. Iraq's Assyrian population of 1.4 million before the Iraq war has now dwindled down to nearly 800,000 with no one protecting their interests.

Though Assyrians are the indigenous people of Iraq, they are now either being victimized and killed, or being driven out of their homeland. Their practice of the Christian religion is not being tolerated or allowed by the terrorists and Islamist Kurds. Acts of violence and aggression towards the Assyrian Christians of Iraq are frequent occurrences. For example, Assyrian churches are prime targets of anti-Assyrian/anti-Christian campaigns, killing and injuring many Assyrians. From 2004 to June 2006, 27 churches were attacked or bombed for the sole reason that they were houses of worship of Assyrian Christians. On one occasion, 6 churches were simultaneously bombed in Baghdad and Kirkuk, and on another occasion an additional 6 churches were simultaneously bombed in Baghdad and Mosul. Simultaneous church bombings is a recurring pattern.

Despite the push for Iraq to become a democratic country, the unthinkable brutality of Saddam Hussein has now shifted and is being unleashed onto the Assyrians by Islamic fundamentalists and the Kurdish power that is rapidly rising in Iraq since the new so-called "democratic" Iraq emerged. I say "so-called" because it is not democracy when election fraud and intimidation runs rampant.

For the first time in Iraq's history, Assyrians were able to take part in the January 2005 elections. But thousands of Assyrians of the Nineveh Plain did not get a chance to vote. In the Assyrian towns and villages, ballot boxes did not arrive and Kurdish officials in charge of the voting process never showed up. There are numerous accounts of ballot box thefts. Where Assyrians could vote, the armed Kurdish militia and secret police made their presence known near the polling stations, intimidating the already frightened women and elderly Assyrians. And in Assyrian provinces, Kurdish votes were generated in abundance in place of Assyrian votes. Today in war-torn Iraq, being denied their most basic human rights, these ancient and indigenous people continue to be the target of systematic oppression, murder, intimidation, kidnapping, and violence. Assyrians in Northern Iraq are marginalized by Kurds who have gained momentum and are exercising the same brand of violence they once complained of during Saddam's dictatorship.

Since the start of the Iraq war, various Eastern media outlets have steadily reported some, but not all of the violent crimes perpetrated against Assyrians. I have a mere sampling of these crimes attached to my Statement, which you have before you. However, most of these crimes go undocumented and unreported in the Western media. The fact that such cases are falling through the cracks does not in any way diminish their validity and legitimacy. Reported or not, when basic human rights are violated, crimes against humanity have been committed. Other examples of Assyrians being marginalized can be found in the newly drafted Iraqi Constitution's Preamble. The Arabs, Kurds, and Turkomans are specifically mentioned, whereas Assyrians are omitted. Additionally, the Preamble cites atrocities against the Kurds but completely ignores those against the Assyrians during Saddam's regime as well as the 1933 Assyrian Massacre in Semele, Iraq.

Iraq's "liberation" has become the "oppression" of Assyrians. The war in Iraq is silently taking its toll on the Assyrians particularly in the Northern regions of Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad where the Assyrian population is concentrated. In the Nineveh Plains and its surrounding regions, under the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and through a dictatorship, Assyrian lands are being illegally confiscated.

And yet the Assyrians don't strike back. We remain peaceful and tolerant under intolerable conditions.

There is no aid or funding going to the Assyrian regions under our American watch. Basic medical need is non-existent for these Christians. A woman cannot have a c-section in her neighborhood. She has to drive miles away and risk her life and the life of her unborn child to receive medical care.

We, Assyrians, are not asking for anything beyond the aid that is already going to Iraq for redevelopment. But we are asking that Assyrians proportionally receive aid sent to the Assyrian regions.

In Northern Iraq, millions of dollars in funding by the United States are assigned to be over looked by Kurdish political parties who are primarily using these monies for their own advantage instead of a fair and equitable distribution of much needed funds to the Assyrian leadership to be used to aid Assyrian communities that are in dire need.

Today Assyrians are one of the most vulnerable minorities in the world. Under our watch, the largest Assyrian exodus is underway. It is estimated that if things continue to proceed as they now are, within 10 years, the Assyrian population of Iraq will be eradicated because of the ethnic cleansing, the forced exodus, and migration.

The indigenous people of the United States, the American Indians, have their human rights secured in their homeland in America. The indigenous people of Iraq, the Assyrian Christians, are being driven out of their homeland.

The displacement of Assyrians has become a seriously overlooked issue. During the Gulf War thousands fled to Jordan. In 2003, during the early stages of the Iraq War, gripped by fear, 40,000 to 50,000 Assyrians fled to Syria. Since then, thousands have been leaving Iraq because of the threats they have received. Homeless and living on the streets of Syria and Jordan, Assyrians helplessly await assistance.

According to Statistics from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in October 2005 about 700,000 Iraqis fled to Syria. Between October 2003 and March 2005, 36% of these refugees were Christian Iraqi. That's 252,000 Assyrian Christian refugees. When the Iraq war started, Assyrians did not have a "safe region" to go to within Iraq so naturally they ran to neighboring countries like Syria and Jordan. But since Assyrians are not displaced internally in Iraq, they no longer qualify for the current "displacement" assistance program. These Assyrian refugees who once led productive lives in Iraq, have resorted to begging, slavery, prostitution, and selling organs just to survive and feed their families. This is happening under our watch in America. The flip side of this is that millions of displaced Kurds are returning with assistance to settle back into their own regions because they, unlike the Assyrians, had a "safe region" to run to within Iraq. We must balance this.

It is an undisputable fact that Mesopotamia is the cradle of civilization and that the Assyrian Christians are the indigenous people of Mesopotamia, present day Iraq. It is also undisputable that Assyrians are a part of the fabric of today's Iraq, enduring under the constraint of Shariia or Islamic law though an in-name-only democratic Iraq.

Article (2)b of the Iraqi Constitution states: "No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy." Article (2)a of the Iraqi Constitution states: "No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam." These two articles are in contradiction with each other.

One of the rules of Islam, which can be found in the Koran at Chapter 3, line 19, states: "The only true faith in God's sight is Islam." In Chapter 3, line 86, the Koran states: "He that chooses a religion over Islam, it will not be accepted from him and in the world to come he will be one of the lost." Christians having chosen a religion over Islam are considered infidels and idolaters. In Chapter 2, lines 190 to 193, the Koran dictates to all Muslims to "Slay them wherever you find them. Drive them out of the places from which they drove you. Idolatry is worse than carnage." And so, Christian Churches are bombed and Christians are slain; Assyrian Christians.

Despite being the indigenous people of Mesopotamia, Assyrians are discriminated against and treated as unwanted guests in their own homeland as they face the threat of yet another modernday ethnic cleansing by the Islamist Kurds that is reminiscent of the ethnic cleansing of nearly a century ago exercised by the then Ottoman Turks and Kurds.

Today's Middle-East must become ethnically balanced. Just like there is a Jewish state, and an Arab state, there is a need for a Christian state.

Although Chapter 4, Article 121 of the Iraqi Constitution entitled "Local Administrations" guarantees the administrative, political, cultural, educational rights for the various ethnicities such as Turkomen, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and the other components, this law exists in theory only, and not in practice.

With the Iraqi government's suppression of the rights of Christians, Assyrians are looking to international communities and the western world in particular to the U.S. and U.N. to intervene on their behalf, enabling them to establish their own Assyrian Administrative Region in the Nineveh Plain in order to become, once again, a thriving and healthy community in Iraq. This Assyrian Administrative Region will witness the return of the Assyrian refugees to their ancestral homeland. However, this measure must be taken now. This is not an issue that can be placed on the back burner.

The endangered Assyrian civilization that managed to survive under Genghis Khan, WWI and WWII, is now spiraling out of control towards complete obliteration due to the present ethnic

cleansing, assimilation and forced migration and refugee exodus. On 9/11 America experienced a reasonably small example of Islamic terrorism as compare to that with which Christians of the Middle--East are familiar. The world watched in horror as we, the citizens of this great nation, mourned our loss. And the world mourned with us. How shameful it would have been if the tragedy of 9/11 had gone unnoticed. How shameful it is that the tragedy of the Assyrian genocide of last century went unnoticed. How shameful it is that the current Assyrian massacres are going unnoticed.

New statistics by the Assyrian Aid Society estimated that 1331 Assyrian Christian families (accounting for about 5561 persons) have fled Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, Ramadi, and Kirkuk and relocated in towns and villages in northern Iraq. The Christians are fleeing because of the lack of security or forced migration. 449 families relocated to Dohuk, 119 families to Barwari Bala, 19 families to Mulla Barwan, 52 families to Aqra, 429 families to Zakho, and 263 families to Sapna. Source: www.nirgalgate.com/asp/v_news.asp?id=2032

June 14, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Iraqi Police harassed and severely beat Assyrian students from Mosul University after final exams, and then held the students down, shaving their heads as a form of public embarrassment, and forced them to walk down the street to further display their "shame" in public. During the previous year the Assyrian students had also been harassed and threatened for being Christians. Sources: www.khoyada.com/news/news16062006-1.htm; ChaldoAssyrian Student Union, Nineveh Branch; www.aina.org/news/20060617150016.htm

June 11, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

A bomb explosion in the al-Karrada district in central Baghdad killed 21 year old Assyrian computer engineering student, Ninos Shamuel Adam, four days before receiving his degree from Bet-Nahrain University of Baghdad. He was a straight A student (98 points) and was to study abroad having received a full scholarship for the next academic year. Family members believe that Ninos was the target of anti-Christian and anti-academia hatred that runs rampant in major universities of Iraq. Hundreds of professors and top students in Iraq have already been murdered in the last three years and many Christian students continue to sustain injuries and maltreatment from fellow students and Islamist groups. Sources: www.zindamagazine.com/ThisWeek/06.18.06/index_sun.php; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,43708.0.html

June 7, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

Rushd Noel Essa, 26, from the Assyrian quarter of Dora, was killed by a cab bomb in al-Sina'aa quarter in Baghdad. He was a member of the Chaldo-Assyrian Student and Youth Union. Sources: www.khoyada.com; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42944.0.html

June 3, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

33 year old Assyrian woman, Rahima Elias Isha'ya, from the Assyrian town of Karamles was murdered by a group of armed men in the crowded commercial neighborhood of Dargazliyya in Mosul, gunned down in her own perfume and make-up shop. Sources: www.zindamagazine.com/ThisWeek/06.18.06/index_sun.php; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42357.0.html; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42289.0.html

June 2, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

Kaneesat al-Si'aood (The Church of Ascension) was attacked by a rocket bomb, causing damage to the church building and a hole in the church dome. Sources: www.nirgalgate.com/asp/v_news.asp?id=1878; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42241.0.html; www.zindamagazine.com/ThisWeek/06.18.06/index_sun.php

June 2, 2006 - Basra, Iraq

Armed men murdered a Christian Assyrian engineer in front of his home in Basra. The victim worked at the al-Najeebiyya Electrical Circuit in al-Ma'aqal. Based on numerous past Christian killings in Basra to force them to leave the city, this murder, too, seems to have religious bases. Sources: www.iraq4allnews.dk/viewnews.php?id=117594; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42201.0.html; www.zindamagazine.com/ThisWeek/06.18.06/index_sun.php

May 30, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

30 year old Raad Joseph, an Assyrian businessman from the Assyrian town of Bar-Tilla, where he ran a weight-training club, was murdered in Mosul. His body was found in the Aysar coast of the industrial district of Mosul. He left behind a wife and child. The killing is believed to be an act of revenge caused by the victim's refusal to give up his business after a bid made by Kurds was rejected in court. An offer of 4 million Iraqi Dinars was made by the competing Kurds a few days prior to the murder. Sources Nergal Gate News Agency at www.nirgalgate.com/asp/v_news.asp?id=1879; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,42240.0.html; www.aina.org/news/20060604142424.htm; www.zindamagazine.com/ThisWeek/06.18.06/index_sun.php

May 25, 2006 - Kirkuk, Iraq

50 year old Assyrian Police Captain Salam Mnati Yousif was shot to death by terrorists while shopping with his wife. He joined the Assyrian Democratic Movement after the liberation of Iraq and was an active member in the Assyrian Community in Kirkuk. He had 6 children. Source: Assyrian Democratic Movement News

Yousif Odisho Giwargis al-Baylati, 41, was shot and killed in the Assyrian quarters of al- Dawwasa in Mosul, because of his ethnic background. A veteran of the Iraq-Iran war, he was injured in that war. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=687d5040ff54563b2926e66a8f89d476&topic=36820.0

April 12, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

James Benyamin, an Assyrian contractor and from the New Baghdad district of Baghdad, was shot and killed by insurgents while working in Balad, about 20 miles east of Baghdad. Source: www.assyrianvoice.net/news/apr-12-06.htm

April 7, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

The Mujahadeen Council, a leading insurgency group linked to al-Qaeda in Iraq, announced the killing of a Christian Assyrian in Mosul. In a statement posted to the Internet, the group, whose military arm was recently headed by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said, "We eliminated him, because this impure crusader offended our noble prophet Mohammed. We killed him in the al-Tahir quarter of Mosul" it read. Source: www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Terrorism&loid=8.0.285211908&par=0

April 7, 2006 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

Shimshon Awisha (Abu Robi), brother of David and Abbi Awisha, was murdered near the Assyrian Club in Dora district as he was heading home. The killer stepped out from a car, walked towards Mr. Awisha, and shot him dead. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,34731.0.html

April 6, 2006 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

Wasan Matti, sister of Fr. Wisam Matti of Mother of God Church, was killed by gunshots by an Islamic terrorist group. She was with her husband and 2 year old daughter in their car, returning home from a doctor's visit. Wasan was six months pregnant and would have celebrated her 30th birthday on April 18th. Source: Chaldean News Newspaper

April 5, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Assyrian Toma Hurmiz Toma al-Kanni was shot and killed by unidentified assailant(s) while he stood in the garden of his own front yard in the al-Mansour quarter of Mosul.

March 7, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Assyrian Kamil Sulaiman Hurmis, a factory owner in the Dawwasa Assyrian quarter of Mosul, was threatened that unless he paid huge amounts of money, he would be harmed. Rather than give in to the terror, Mr. Hurmis locked his business, left his home and the town for good. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,30362.0.html

March 7, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Assyrian Sinan Abd al-Jabbar, was kidnapped on March 4, 2006 and murdered 3 days later when his family was unable to pay the $50,000 ransom. His body was found thrown in hay al-Tahrir quarters in Mosul. Sinan was married and had a 5 month old baby. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,30362.0.html

March 6, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Fundamentalist Moslems have been sending threat letters to Assyrian Christians in Mosul in order to force them to leave town or face death. Source: Telephone call with Giwargis Samuel from Mosul

February 27, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

A car bomb exploded in the al-Ameen quarters of Baghdad at approximately 7 p.m., killing 38 year old Assyrian man, Mahir Toma Oshana. He left behind a wife and 3 young children. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,29435.0.html

Six Assyrian churches were bombed in unison. A car bomb detonated at 4:10 p.m. outside St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in the Eastern Baghdad suburb of Sina'a. Twenty minutes later, a car exploded outside the Anglican Church in Eastern Baghdad's Nidhal area. Mar Addai and Mar Mari Catholic Churche in al-Binook and St. Petros and Polous Orthodox Churches were bombed as well. The Church of the Virgin in Kirkuk was bombed at 4:30 p.m. That explosion came 15 minutes after another car bomb exploded outside of St. Ephrem Orthodox Church. Three were confirmed dead, including thirteen-year-old Fadi R. Elias, originally from Alqosh. Many Assyrians were wounded. Source: www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002155062

January 29, 2006 - Mosul, Iraq

Muslim students in Mosul University beat tens of Christian students days after a Danish newspaper published caricature drawing of Prophet Mohammad. Muslim clerics in Mosul, under pressure from Islamic militias, issued a fatwa (religious edict/jihad) calling their followers to "expel the Crusaders and infidels from the streets, schools, and institutions because they offended the person of the prophet in Denmark." Source: www.elaph.com/ElaphWeb/Politics/2006/1/124132.htm

January 20, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

Yonis Sulaiman Yonan, from the Assyrian town of Karamles, had lived in Baghdad for decades, owning a service business specializing in repairing giant generators and medical equipments, when a stranger asked him to fix his generator. Yonan accompanied the man and never returned home. A message from his cell phone to his son's phone stated that he has been kidnapped. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,25149.0.html

January 20, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

A group of armed men raided the home of the former Iraqi soccer player and coach Emmanuel David, better known as Ammo Baba, in Zayoona, in the center of Baghdad. The 74 year old former coach of the Iraqi National Soccer Team who led Iraq to three titles in the Arabian Gulf Soccer Tournaments and a gold medal at the 1982 Asian Games in India, was recently in ill health, suffering from diabetes, which had led to the amputation of his toes, and very poor vision. He told the police: "The armed men tied me up, blindfolded me, and began beating me." They stole Baba's money and belongings. Sources: Kuwait News Agency (KUNA); www.kuna.net.kw/Story.asp?DSNO=806808

January 17, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq - Tahir Ablahad Qaryo, Iraq

A group disguised in Iraqi National Guard uniforms pushed themselves in the house of Deacon Sami Matti Sliwa (known also as Abu Addison), terrorizing the Assyrian family. After searching the house and finding nothing, they took Deacon Sliwa. Two hours later, they called the family, proclaiming this a hostage kidnapping, demanding ransom. Deacon Sliwa is not a member of any political group or organization and is the sole family provider. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,24448.0.html

January 7, 2006 - Baghdad, Iraq

The Christian Science Monitor named female US freelancer Jill Carroll as a kidnapped journalist in Baghdad, Iraq. The kidnapping occurred in the western Baghdad's Adil neighborhood. The body of her Assyrian interpreter, Allan Enwiya, 32, was later found in the same neighborhood. Enwiya was able to tell soldiers that Carroll had been kidnapped before he died from the two bullets in his head. Sources: www.csmonitor.com/2006/0110/p01s04-woiq.html; riverbendblog.blogspot.com

January 1, 2006 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

43 year old Ayad Loqa Lazar of Kirkuk, a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, was murdered by terrorists while on duty in Dora district. Ayad was married and had 2 children. Source: www9.sbs.com.au/theworldnews/region.php?id=126622&region=6 January 1, 2006 - Kirkuk, Iraq During demonstrations in the Raheem Awa quarter in Kirkuk, where Assyrians and Kurds live, Youkhana Yaqo Youkhana, born 1936 in the Assyrian village of Deri, was accidentally killed by American troops shooting to clear up a demonstration protesting the high fuel prices. Youkhana was headed home from work when he was caught up in the demonstration. Youkhana's son, Emad Youkhana, is a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement. Source: www.zowaa.org/ns/n1106.htm

December 12, 2005 - Mosul, Northern Iraq

Police Officer Ivan Giwargis Zaia, age 29, was assassinated in al-Sina'aa Quarter in Mosul. He was married with one child. He was an Assyrian. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,20701.0.html

December 2, 2005 - Kirkuk, Iraq

Sarmad Behnam Ibrahim, age 31, an Assyrian Officer with the Kirkuk Police Department and member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement was murdered while on duty. Sources: www.ninanews.com/indexar.php?akcija=article&no=1638; www.islam-online.net/English/News/2005-12/03/article05.shtml

November 29, 2005 - Mosul, Iraq

Gunmen in two cars opened fire on 4 members of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) as these party officials hung Iraqi election posters for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the al-Shuhadaa neighborhood in Northeast Mosul. Two of the Assyrian officials were killed: Yousif Nabil Ishmael from Baghdeda, born 1986, and Gewargis Brikha Youkhana from Nahla, born 1980; One was inured: Simon Edmon Youkhana, born 1983; And one is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head: Milad Zakkar Mansour, born 1987. Sources: breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=164175358&p=y64y76x64; www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/29/tuesday/index.html

November 21, 2005 - al-Ghadeer quarter, Baghdad, Iraq

Baghdad police reported that 4 Assyrian Christian women were killed by a group of armed men storming a Christian home in East Baghdad's al-Ghadeer, a Christian majority quarter. Source: www.tebayn.com/Tebayn%20Arabic/index.asp?pageID=1&SID=709&Ln=En

November 2, 2005 - Kirkuk, Northern Iraq

At approximately 5:00 p.m., a car bomb exploded near the Church of Mar Giwargis in the Assyrian quarter of Almas district in Kirkuk. One of the three civilian victims was an 18 year old Assyrian Sarmad Fadi Kamil. His father was injured in the explosion. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php?topic=16067.0

October 29, 2005 - Kirkuk, Northern Iraq

Kurds shot Oil Engineer, Michael Seeron Michael at his house with 4 bullets to his chest, killing him instantly. Michael, known to his close friends as Mikho, was the executive director for the

northern branch of the Iraqi Oil Company. He had told his friends that members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) threatened him during a visit at his company, demanding that he quit his job and join the Kurdish party. Mikho is survived by 7 sisters scattered around the globe. Sources: www.christianiraq.com/news/2006/01/11/list-of-reported-assyrians-murdered-in-iraq-in-2005; www.zindamagazine.com/html/archives/2005/11.9.05/index_wed.php#surfsup

October 17, 2005 - Tikrit, Northern Baghdad

A group of terrorists attacked an Assyrian family killing Younan Gharib and seriously injuring his wife and brother-in-law. Younan had been living in Syria because of the conditions in Iraq. Having recently returned to Baghdad, he moved to Northern Iraq to live with his extended family in a village near the Iraqi-Turkish border. Source: www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php?topic=16141.0

October 17, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

A group of armed men entered the apartment of Nomat'eel Hasra, an Assyrian woman living in the New Baghdad district, in Eastern Baghdad, killing her. Source: www.elaph.com

September 22, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

In the capital's New Baghdad neighborhood, gunmen opened fire on a pickup truck carrying 6 Assyrian security guards assigned to protect Pascale Warda Esho, an Assyrian and former Iraqi Minister of Displacement and Migration. The murdered guards are: two brothers from Dehe, Daniel Nissan Philipos, age 27, and Ninos Nissan Philipos, 30, Mahir Muneb Hanna, 27, from Telkepe, and Johnny Youkhanna David, 30, from Dawedeya. Mr. Nabeel Matti, a commanding officer from Bartilla, was critically injured in the attack. Source: www.zindamagazine.com

August 26, 2005 - Bartella, Northern Iraq

While pumping gas at a fuel station, 37 year old Nabil Akram Ammona (married with 2 children) died instantly from a gunshot to the head at close range by the KDP peshmerges. When 55 year old Matti Shimon Zora Sha'ya (married with 4 children) attempted to take Ammona to the hospital, he, too, was shot in the head by the same peshmerges, and died. Source: www.zahrira.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=845

August 14, 2005 - Dora district, Baghdad, Iraq

Ayad Dawood Gergis was driving his car to work when he was killed by unknown gunmen. Source: Associated Press

August 11, 2005 - Kirkuk, Iraq

Sa'aad Fouzi was kidnapped from the Sonobor Hotel on al-Muhafada Street in Kirkuk. His body was later found stabbed repeatedly and thrown in Kornish Street. Sa'aad was 29 and worked as an engineer for Northern Oil Company. Source: www.zahrira.net/modules.php?name=news&file=article&sid=739

August 9, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

In Baghdad's Dura quarter (al-Mekanik), 22 year old Sargon Esho was shot and killed near Mar Zaia Church while buying groceries. Source: www.zahrira.net/modules.php?name=news&file=article&sid=739

Armed men kidnapped Dr. Noel Petros Shammas Matti, 42, and his brother Amar. Dr. Matti was born in the village of Bartilla. His murdered body was thrown on the side of a road north of Mosul. His brother was released when $50,000 ransom was paid. Dr. Matti, married with 2 daughters, was a lecturer at the Medical Institute of Mosul University and owned a pharmacy. Source: www.zahrira.net/modules.php?name=news&file=article&sid=739; www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php?topic=5790.0

July 22, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

According to police and medical officials, gunmen fired at a car carrying newlyweds and their families, killing the bride, Salay, 22, wounding her mother, the groom, Wisam Abdul Wahad, 24, and the driver, Marcel Ishoo, in the southern Dora neighborhood of Baghdad. Source: www.zindamagazine.com, July 23, 2005 issue

July 16, 2005 - Habbaniya, Ramadi, Iraq

An explosion rocked the Assyrian Church in Habbaniya, Ramadi in Iraq. Source: www.christianiraq.com/news/2006/01/11/list-of-reported-assyrians-murdered-in-iraq-in-2005

July 7, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

An Assyrian Christian owner of a Liquor shop was killed instantly after being shot by an armed man in front of his store in al-Karrada quarter in center Baghdad. Source: www.iraq4allnews.dk/viewnews.php?id=90021

July 3, 2005 - Baghdad, Iraq

Younadam Youkhana Shimun, age 42, was attacked and killed in a hate crime. His son was also injured. Mr. Shimun was married and had two sons and a daughter. Source: Assyrian Democratic Movement Weekly News

June 2, 2005 - Kirkuk, Iraq

A car bomb exploded in the Arapha Assyrian quarter. 5 year old Randy Robert Alexin, riding with his parents in their own car was killed immediately, while both his parents were injured. Funeral services were held at St. George Church in Almas quarter. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=4370

June 1, 2005 - Mosul, Nineveh Province, Iraq

Ghassan Fahmi, 28, owner of Ghassan's D.J. and Recording business, in the al-Zuhoor quarter, was kidnapped by an unidentified group from his place of business. Two hours later, his murdered body was returned. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=4357

May 18, 2005 - Mosul, Nineveh Province, Iraq

Laith Zuhair Gibraeil Hoodi, 28, was killed when a rocket hit his home in al-Sukkar quarters in

Mosul. His mother I'atimad abd al-Ahad was hit by many splinters in her arms, legs, and other parts of her body. She remains in critical condition at the hospital. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=26&topic=586

April 24, 2005 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

Ishaq Habib Kola, 52, from Alqosh, was killed by a bullet while inside his home. Ishaq had worked in the medical field for 25 years, dedicating his life to helping others. He was married with 4 children. His aged father was visiting from Alqosh as Ishaq died in his arms. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=3955

March 27, 2005 - Mosul, Iraq

Kifah Mattai Ibraham was kidnapped on March 3, 2005 and found murdered in Mosul 24 days later. He was 43 and married. He ran his own stone factory business in Mosul. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=3633

March 23, 2005 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

Karim Elia Abouna, an Assyrian originally from Alqosh, was murdered in the Assyrian quarter of Dora, Baghdad. An armed group of men entered his shop and shot him five times. Source: www.ankawa.com

March 15, 2005 - Basra, Iraq

Some 30 hooded members of Mugtada al-Sadr (al-Mahdi Army) attacked a group of Basra University Engineering students who were on a picnic at al-Andalus Park, and beat them with batons and sticks "in the name of Islam." One Christian student, Zahra Ashor, was killed and 15 others badly injured. When a fellow student attempted to help Zahra, he was shot in the head. At least 20 students were kidnapped and taken to Sadr's office in al-Tuwaisa for "interrogation." The gang stole the students' personal belongings, cell phones and jewelry, and destroyed the tape recorder and music tapes of the Assyrians. The attacks were carried out because the students were listening to music and the females were not wearing the Islamic hijab (veil). Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=32&topic=1907

March 16, 2005 - Kirkuk, Iraq

Iraqi News Agency reported that General Wael Yousif Yacoub, an Assyrian engineer from Telkepe, was assassinated while returning home from Baghdad. Eyewitnesses saw armed men surround the general's car and shoot him. He worked as an officer in the Internal Affair Department of the Kirkuk Police and was credited with the re-opening of the Kirkuk Police Force after the fall of Saddam Hussein. General Yacoub represented the Christian voice in affairs dealing with the local Police Board and was a former officer of the Iraqi Army. Well respected in his community, General Yacoub was also a Deacon at the Chaldean Catholic Cathedral in Kirkuk. Recently General Yacoub had been openly criticizing the Kurdish position on the ownership of the city of Kirkuk. He became a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement after the liberation of Iraq on April 9, 2003. He was married and with 2 daughters. Islamist Ansar al-Sunna army has announced responsibility for the killing. Sources: www.zindamagazine.com (3/16/2005 issue); iraq4allnews.dk/viewnews.php?id=80989

December 2004 - Iraq

Hundreds of Christian families are escaping to Syria and Jordan before the arrival of Christmas and the New Year Festivities as they fear increased acts of killings against them. Source: www.elaph.com/Politics/2004/12/27349.htm

December 11, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Sabah Hurmiz of Alqosh (married, 3 children) and his friend Saalim Potrus Daddaya of Batnaya (married, 2 children) were reported missing and found dead 3 days later at a Mosul hospital. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2424; www.elaph.com/Politics/2004/12/27349.htm

December 9, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Two Assyrian Christians, Fawzi Soorish Luqa of 'Ankawa, 43, and Haitham Yousuf Saka of Bartella, who owned a hall used for celebrations in Baghdad, were kidnapped from their place of business and murdered by an unidentified terrorist group. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2399; www.elaph.com/Politics/2004/12/27349.htm

December 8, 2004 - Ramadi, Iraq

Dr. Ra'aad Augustine Qoryaqos, a notable Assyrian of Bartella, a prominent surgeon, and a professor at the College of Medicine in al-Anbar University, was murdered by 3 terrorists who stormed his clinic while he was checking on patients. He left behind a wife and 2 children. Sources: www.bartella.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1831; www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2397

December 7, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Al-Tahira Chaldean Catholic Church, one of the most beautiful churches in the al-Shifa' neighborhood, Eastern Mosul was destroyed when 10 armed men stormed the church, planted explosives throughout, and set the bombs off wounding three people. An hour later, gunmen bombed an Armenian church under construction in the al-Wahda neighborhood, Western Mosul. Sources: story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=4&u=/nm/20041207/wl_nm/iraq; www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140751,00.html; www.peyamner.com

December 2, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Laith Antar Khanno of Baghdeda, 29, had worked for a foreign company in Baghdad and had traveled to Mosul to open a branch there. He was kidnapped for a ransom of $1,000,000, later reduced to $100,000. His family unable to pay, his headless body was found two weeks later near Mosul Hospital in the al-Wahda quarter, East of Mosul. His head was found later at another location. Khanno had been married for three years and had a daughter. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2329

December 2, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Imad Jameel Younan, 29, married with two children, from the Assyrian town of Baghdeda, was confronted by criminals who murdered him and stole his private taxi. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2325

November 30, 2004 - Salah al-Din

Baiji refinery driver, Sabih Mousa Abada of the Assyrian town of Baghdeda, 55, married, 5 sons, 3 daughters, stopped to help a stalled school bus when a car bomb exploded on a nearby road. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2325

November 21, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Sami Esho Khoshaba, 19, a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, was a cadre in the al-Karkh Branch in Baghdad. He was shot and killed in Mosul, while on leave. Source: www.christiansofiraq.com/update.html; www.zindamagazine.com/html/archives/2004/11.23.04/index_tue.php#SurfsUp

November 21, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Essarhadon Elia al-Qas Oraham, 27, married with a 2 year old daughter, was shot and killed near al-Mashriq Club in Camp Sara quarter by 2 assailants, attempting to steal his vehicle. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2256

November 19, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

2 Assyrian brothers, Muntadir As'aad Matti and Bashar As'aad Matti, from the town of Bartella were killed when a bomb fell on the shop where they worked at the Mosul market. Source: www.bartella.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1669&sid=be7b477051b949af465606ea30fda461

November 8, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

According to the U.S. military, the first of 2 bombs went off near the Mar Giwargis (St. George) Church, injuring 18 people. The second car bomb detonated minutes later, less than a mile away, outside the St. Matthew Church, killing three people and wounding 34. Sources: CBS News; ABC News; FOX News (Brit Hume Special Report, 3:05 p.m.); www.ankawa.com/cgibin/ ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2154; Daily Times; Reuters (NY); Los Angeles Times; www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11082004_2004110811.html

November 4, 2004 - Falluja, Iraq

Dr. Nadia Hanna Murqos was killed near Falluja while returning from Syria. Her husband and son were injured in the attack on their car. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2123

November 2, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Sargon, son of the Assyrian poet and writer Odisho Malko, was kidnapped in Dora. The family had to give the kidnappers their private car and pay a ransom to secure Sargon's release. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2102

November 2, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

An Assyrian family in Dora, Meekanik quarter, in Southern Baghdad, 'Alaa' Andrawis, 39, his wife Evelyn Malkizdaq, and their 10 year old son were shot at while in their car. Father and son were killed instantly. The mother sustained severe injuries to the head and underwent surgery. The parents had 2 other children. 15 days earlier, Andrawis' cousin, Yasmin Boodagh, and daughter were killed in Dora by a car bomb. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2102

October 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Three Assyrian girls were murdered in the Mechanic district in Baghdad for not wearing the Islamic Hijab (veil) or for "dressing improperly." Source: www.nineveh.com

October 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Assyrian neighborhoods are receiving flyers instructing them to convert to Islam. One flyer urged Assyrians to mark in the special boxes at the bottom of the flyer whether they are converting to Sunni or Shi'aa. One Assyrian with 8 family members had to mark 4 shi'aa and 4 Sunni to avoid antagonizing either sect. Although he did not convert to Islam, he had to respond to this flyer per instructions, from fear of death or injury to his family. Source: An Assyrian caller from Baghdad wishing to remain anonymous

October 30, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Three men, two of whom were masked, confronted Ma'an Yousuf, an Assyrian man and killed him in his electrical supplies shop on Dawwasa Street in Mosul with three bullets to the head. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2078

October 25, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

4 unidentified armed men tried to force themselves inside the home of Nasrin Shaba Murad, an Assyrian Christian woman in Mosul. When the 42 year old housewife and mother of 3 tried to escape to her neighbor's house, the gunmen opened fire and killed her. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2019

October 21, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

The Mosul Municipal Office is continuing its unfair practice of selling lands belonging to Assyrian Christians right from under them and renting the lands to others. Sources: October 21, 2004 interview of al-Hayat with Yonadam Kanna, Assyrian representative in the Iraqi National Assembly; www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1975

October 21, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Layla Elias Kakka Essa (30's) lived peacefully in Baghdad. Economical hardship forced her to become an instant translator in the Assyrian quarter of Dora in Baghdad to support her 2 young children, Manar and Mina. She was killed in cold blood while on her way home after completing her 10th day of employment. The killer mercilessly emptied his bullets in her head. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2029

October 20, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Many Assyrian Christian families have been slaughtered and killed. Mosul University imposes strange and unreasonable customs on the students. Hundreds of families have abandoned the city of Mosul and moved to Dohuk and other neighboring towns. Sources: The 18th Session of the Iraqi National Assembly addressing the escalating troubles in Mosul, as reported to the al-Sabah al-Jadeed (The New Morning) by Yonadam Kanna, Assyrian representative of the Iraqi National Assembly; www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1969

October 18, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Yasmin Boodagh, and her daughter were killed in Dora by a car bomb. 15 days later her cousin 'Alaa' Andrawis and his 10 year old son were also shot to death. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=2102

October 16, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

1500 Chaldo-Assyrian Syriac students from Mosul University decided to no longer attend classes because of the repeated harassment and threats they have been receiving from terrorists and Islamists taking advantage of the non-stability and chaotic management at the university. Sources: www.iraq4allnews.dk/viewnews.php?id=67686ure; www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_041022xt.shtml

October 16, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

In a coordinated strike against the Assyrian Christian community, the Church of St. Joseph in the west of Baghdad was hit at about 4:00 am. 20 minutes later, another blast ripped through the streets at another St. Joseph Church in Dora, southern Baghdad. 20 minutes later, St. Paul Church was struck in Dora. At 4:50 am, the Roman Catholic St. George Church in the central district of Karrada was rocked by a blast and engulfed in flames, leaving the wood-built sanctuary completely charred. A 5th explosion occurred about an hour later at St. Thomas Church in Mansour, to the west. The violence resumed later when an artillery shell was fired into a car parked between a hotel and St. George Anglican Church, said witnesses & US soldiers. Sources: AFP; news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3749520.stm

October 5, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Dr. Sanabel Noel Al-Tabakh, an Assyrian Christian, was killed in al-Wahda district of the city of Mosul on her way to work. Sources: www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39812; www.nineveh.com

October 5, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Social service workers, Taghreed Abd al-Masih Ishaq and her sister Hala, were killed in Mosul. They were residents and natives of the Assyrian town of Bartilla, in the Nineveh Governorate. Sources: www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39812; www.nineveh.com

October 5, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Tara Majeed Putrus, a social service worker was shot in Mosul. Sources: www.themesopotamian.org/murder_and_oppression.htm; www.nineveh.com; www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39812

October 5, 2004 - Iraq

The Secretary General of the Society for Threatened Peoples, Tilman Zuelch who was in Iraq, reported that 20 Chaldo-Assyrian Christians were killed in September 2004 by Islamic terrorists and 80 more since May 2003. He also reported that 40,000 Assyrians have left Iraq for Syria and Jordan, and that Christian families in central and southern Iraq have lost all hope of living in peace among the Arabs. Source: www.epd.de (in GÃ¶ttingen)

October 5, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

15 year old Fadi 'Aaid Khidir Shamoon was kidnapped in the 'Ain 'alaq orchards in Ba'asheeqa while riding a bike his father had given him. He was found in the most horrific manner. Fadi was barbarically mutilated, burned, beheaded, and thrown onto the Ba'asheeqa-Teez Kharab road in front of al-'Azzawi ranch. Earlier, Ba'asheeqa mourned another son, 14 year old Julian Afram Yacoub when he was hit in the head with a concrete block and then burned. The murderers have been targeting innocent children, forcing many Christians to flee their homes and villages. Sources: www.bahzani.net; www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1855

October 4, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Gunmen opened fire on Hazim Sako (Abu Sarmad), the owner of a liquor store in the Assyrian populated Dawasa district in Mosul, and on his family. Sako died, while his family members struggle for their lives at the hospital. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1852

September 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

An Islamic group under Salah al-Deen al-Ayoubi, a Kurd, took responsibility for beheading 2 Assyrian men, Raymond Farooq Shimun, and Mosul University graduate Firas Hadi Potrus, 26. A CD depicting the beheading was distributed with no indication as to date. Al-Ayoubi reported that his group was a Kurdish Islamist trying to force Assyrians out of their ancestral lands. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1719

September 23, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Pamphlets were distributed at Mosul University and covered the campus walls carrying the threatening message that an acid solution would thrown at the face of any Christian girl not cover with the Islamic hijab (veil) in the new school year. The pamphlets stressed that the threats were not directed at Moslem girls. Earlier, the faces of 2 Christian girls were burned with acid in the popular gold blacksmith market in Mosul. Assyrian girls fear attending university this year. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1810

September 27, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

At least 9 Assyrians were killed and others critically injured when a bus carrying employees of the Baghdad Hunting Club (Nadi al-Sayd) was attacked by unidentified gunmen early morning as employees left work for home. The 9 killed Assyrians are: 'Aamer Nissan (born 1968), 'Aadel Nissan (born 1972), Amer Khoshaba (born 1965), Emanuel Nissan (born 1945), Maradona Emanuel (born 1984), Na'aeem Gewargis (born 1978), Bassam Elias (born 1982), Rasim Elias (born 1984), and Amir Shabo. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1795; Agence France Presse

September 11, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

A car bomb exploded outside the Virgin Mary Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the Al-Sa'doun Park in the center of Baghdad. Eyewitnesses could not tell if the explosion was an act of a suicide bomber or if the car exploded by remote control. Source: www.f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/32035.htm

September 10, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Following celebration of Holy Cross Day, a mortar attack was launched on the inhabitants of the Assyrian town of Bakhdeda, in the Qaraqosh, Hamdaniya District. Three of the many mortars fell on roofs of homes where several Assyrians were injured while sleeping. 13 year old Mark Louis Sheeto was killed and his mother, Bushra Toma Sheeto, and his 8 year old brother Bihnam Sheeto sustained serious injuries. This attack seems to be part of a string of attacks planned to drive the native Assyrians out of their homeland. Bakhdeda (whose name was changed to Hamdaniya by the Saddam Regime as part of the Arabization process) was felt to be a prime target as it houses over 30,000 Assyrians and is at the heartland of the Assyrian region. Source: www.aina.org/news/20040911181922.htm

September 10, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

A bomb exploded at the Assyrian Anglican Church on al-Andalus Street in Baghdad. Source: www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PER170744.htm

September 2, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

In the al-Mayasa (al-Sa'aa) Christian district, the Assyrian Boulos brothers, known as the sons of Hasina, were famed for their patriotic stance in Mosul while defending and assisting other Assyrians. Khaled Boulos, 32, and his brother Hani Boulos, 28, were killed instantly when armed terrorists drove up to them, exited the car, and began heavy firing. Sources: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1631; f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/31996.htm

September 1, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Gewargis Youaresh Nisan was killed in the heavily Assyrian populated district of Karrada (Arkhita) when a terrorist time-bomb exploded. Source: f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/32000.htm

September 1, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

In a terrorist attack on the Governorate of Nineveh building, Nisan Sliyo Shmoel, of the Assyrian Patriotic Party was injured. He was taken to a hospital, treated and released. However, the terrorists were awaiting his release just outside the hospital where he was struck with an unmarked car with no plates. Shmoel, 43, married with 5 daughters and 1 son, died at the scene. Source: f21.parsimony.net/forum37811/messages/31999.htm

August 31, 2004 - Bartella, Iraq

3 Assyrian women in their 20's, Tara Majeed Betros Al-Hadaya, Taghrid Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros and her sister Hala Abdul-Massih Ishaq Betros were slaughtered in the Assyrian village of Bartella near Mosul while returning home from work at a hospital in Mosul. Another Assyrian woman, Amera Nouh Sha'ana, who was also returning home to Bartella and an Assyrian driver, Naji Betros Ishaq were injured in the attack. Few days earlier, terrorists left CDs in the region filming the slaughter of two other Christians from the same town. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1631

August 1, 2004 - Baghdad and Mosul, Iraq

5 Assyrian and 1 Armenian churches were bombed simultaneously in Baghdad and Mosul. 12 Assyrians were killed and some 60 injured. The churches were: Assyrian Catholic Church of Sayidat al-Najat (Our Lady of Salvation) in Karrada, Baghdad; Armenian Catholic Church of Sayidat al-Zohour (Our Lady of the Flowers) in Karrada, Baghdad; Chaldean Catholic Church Seminary of St. Peter & Paul in Doura, al-Meekanik quarters, Baghdad; St. Paul Church in center of Mosul; Chaldean Catholic Church of St. Elia in Ni'aayriyya oo Gayyara, New Baghdad; and St. Mary's Church in East Baghdad. Source: www.nineveh.com

July 19, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

Unidentified attackers with automatic weapons attempted to kidnap an Assyrian man, Hani Yohanna Naoom, 43, near his convenient shop on Dawasa Street, near the government building. As he tried to escape from his kidnappers, he was shot and killed. Source: www.ado-world.org/en/news.php?id=336&lang=ar

July 17, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

An unidentified group using automatic weapons entered a pizza shop at the al-Zihoor quarter shooting and killing Adeeb Aqrawi, an Assyrian young man, working at the shop. Source: www.ado-world.org/en/news.php?id=336&lang=ar

July 11, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

2 Assyrian children from the Chaldean Catholic Church, Sami, age 6, and Rami, age 4, were killed in front of their home when rockets fell in their neighborhood in the center of Baghdad. Sources: London - Al - Sharq Al-Awsat Newspaper, July 11, 2004; www.ado-world.org/en/iraq.php?id=175&lang=ar; www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1205

July 11, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Terrorists entered an Assyrian Christian home shooting 16 year old Raneed Raad and her sister, 6 year old Raphid at point blank range while their parents were out. The Assyrian family had reported being threatened but no measures were taken to protect them. Source: www.assyrianchristians.com/commentary_massacre_july_11_04.htm

June 26, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

2 unidentified persons in a silver Opal threw a hand bomb at the Holy Spirit Church (al-Rooh al- Qudos) in the Akha' quarter in Mosul. The explosion caused injury to the sister of Fr. Ragheed, the church priest. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1162

June 23, 2004 - Basra, Iraq

2 Assyrian sisters, Janet and Shatha Sadah Odisho, ages 38 and 25, were shot dead in a car while returning home from work in Basra. The two worked for Bechtel, a U.S. company. Sources: www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5492570; news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040623/ts_nm/iraq_daughters_dc_2; www.ado-world.org/en/iraq.php?id=173&lang=ar

June 20, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

5 armed men kidnapped 22 year old Raymond Farouq Shimun, son of Farouq and Juliet Shimun, not far from his home in Mosul. 3 days later his body was thrown in a cemetery in a valley outside the city. His head was partially cut and his hands and legs were smashed. Cuts and knife wounds on his body suggested that he suffered before he died. Sources: www.christianiraq.com/news/2004/12/19/violence-against-christians-in-iraq-special-report-updated-list; www.christiansofiraq.com/update.html; www.aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39812

June 16, 2004 - Iraq

Edmond Anwar (Sulaymaniya) lost much money and merchandise when his alcohol and cigarette shop was robbed. Source: www.ankawa.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=4&topic=1091

June 10, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Janan Joseph, an Assyrian Christian, was shot and killed inside his home in al-Mansour quarter along with 10 other Christians in the quarter. Source: www.sotaliraq.com/newiraq/article_2004_07_19_4004.html

An Assyrian woman, Nahrain Yonaan was blinded and her face badly wounded, from a drive-by attack and bombing. Sources: Los Angeles Times 5/21/2004; www.zindamagazine.com 5/24/2004 issue

May 28, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

Ashor Goriel Yalda was killed in his car by a grenade while on his way to work. Sources: www.nineveh.com; www.christiansofiraq.com/update.html; www.themesopotamian.org/murder_and_oppression.htm

April 4, 2004 - Miqdadiya, Iraq

Emad Mikha of Detroit was killed while working with the U.S. Army as a civilian translator. Sources: www.zindamazine.com issue 4/12/2004; Detroit Free Press, 4/13/2004

March 26, 2004 - Kirkuk, Iraq

Lieutenant Romeo Esha David, a member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, was killed in his home. Source: www.zindamagazine.com issue 3/29/2004

March 22, 2004 - Dora, Baghdad, Iraq

An Assyrian elderly man Ameejon Barama and his wife Jewded were brutally murdered in their own home by Militants in the town of Dora, near Baghdad, Iraq. The husband's throat was slashed and the wife was struck repeatedly on the head. Sources: www.zinzamagazine.com; aina.org/releases/20040613151448.htm

March 17, 2004 - Baghdad, Iraq

An Assyrian family was killed and others wounded after a bomb attack: mother Marta Eskharia, father Odisho, son Farid, whose his wife was severely wounded, son Zaia, older daughter Shmoni who survived because she was in Dohuk, however, her daughter was severely wounded. Source: www.aina.org/bbs/index.cgi?read=21336

February 17, 2004 - Ankawa, Iraq

At the Ankawa Boys High School a group of students from the Kurdistan Student Union entered classes against school regulations while classes were in session, distributing applications to student to join the Kurdistan Student Union. The Chaldo-Assyrian Students and Youth Union protested the inappropriate, illegal, and unfair activities that disrupted student studies. Source: www.zindamagazine.com

February 11, 2004 - Mosul, Iraq

The Associated Press reported that Gunmen firing from a car attacked an office of the Assyrian Democratic Party in Mosul, injuring one security guard, according to member Napoleon Fatou. Sources: Associates Press; aina.org/releases/20040613151448.htm